Importance

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Abstract

A xenograft replacement ligament to replace a damaged anterior cruciate or other human ligament includes a ligament of suitable size and strength that has been harvested from a donor animal with a bone piece at least one end to preserve intact a substantial portion of a first natural ligament-to-bone attachment structure of the donor animal. Once harvested, it may be tanned and otherwise processed with glutaraldehyde solution. Installation includes pinning and otherwise attaching the bone piece at the natural attachment site of the patient to more closely replicate the natural ligament-to-bone attachment structure being replaced. The replacement ligament may be harvested with a bone piece at each end for this purpose, with each of the bone pieces then being attached at a natural attachment site of each of two bones of the patient.

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First Claim